KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The City Public Service Department plans to repair a 200-foot section of James White Greenway with broken, sagging asphalt and damaged fencing, a Knoxville spokesperson said.
The greenway is scheduled to close from Volunteer Landing to Riverside Drive, near Gov. Ned McWherter Park, starting Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. The city plans to reopen it in early spring, unless there are weather delays. Bicyclists can use East Hill Avenue and Riverside Drive for a detour. They can also use George Dempster Drive if going east and Historic Preservation Drive if going west. Pedestrians can use Morningside Greenway, the city said.
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“The City apologizes for the inconvenience of the closure, but these repairs are necessary now,” Parks and Greenways Coordinator Alison Bullock said. “This involves more than just superficially repaving the surface. Gravity and erosion over the years have had their way, so Public Service crews will be removing existing asphalt patches, rebuilding the subgrade and reinforcing the steep riverbank.”
The city said it decided to do the repairs in winter because that’s when greenways are least used…